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<h1 property="schema:name dc:title" datatype=""
class="entry-title entry-title"><small>Tortured men face death in
33-day Georgia hunger strike for human rights</small></h1>
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<li property="dc:date dc:created" content="2012-07-14T05:52:27-06:00"
datatype="xsd:dateTime" class="created">July 14, 2012</li>
<li class="author last">By: <a
href="http://www.examiner.com/human-rights-in-national/deborah-dupre">Deborah
Dupre</a></li>
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<div class="caption">Nine prisoners starving for human rights</div>
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<div class="dart-ad dart-ad-300x250" id="dart-ad-3-3-874172874"><br>
<div class="dart-ad-content"> <strong>Georgian prisoners starving to
death for <a href="http://www.examiner.com/topic/human-rights"
class="inline_link">human rights</a></strong> </div>
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<p>Nine <a
href="http://sfbayview.com/2012/georgia-hunger-strike-enters-fifth-week/"
rel="nofollow">prisoners face death on a hunger strike</a> for human
rights that began June 11 at Georgia’s massive Diagnostic and
Classification prison, where <a
href="http://www.examiner.com/article/historic-rights-abuse-of-troy-davis-execution-21st-int-l-solidarity-friday">Troy
Davis </a>was murdered last year and where men are tortured in
solitary confinement.</p>
<p>“It has been 33 days since these men have eaten. We must move
swiftly or people are going to start dying,” writes Delma Jackson, wife
of the inmate who leads the strike, Miguel Jackson.</p>
<p>Miguel Jackson is the prisoner beaten with a hammer-like object in
retaliation for his role in the December 2010 mass sit-down strike to
raise awareness about slave labor and other atrocities at Georgia's
massive Diagnostic and Classification prison, what <em>CBS Atlanta </em>reported
the inmates <a
href="http://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2012/07/09/too-much-truth-recap-day-28th-of-georgia-state-prison-hunger-strike/"
rel="nofollow">call</a> "unreasonable and inhumane treatment by prison
guards and officials."</p>
<p>The <em>Atlanta Journal-Constitution</em>, based on claims by the
Georgia Department of Corrections, <a
href="http://www.ajc.com/news/prison-hunger-strike-ends-1475711.html"
rel="nofollow">reported</a> Tuesday that the strike is over: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>"A hunger strike by 10 inmates at the Georgia Classification &
Diagnostic Prison has ended, according to the Department of
Corrections. The strike, which sparked a protest at the state capitol
building Monday, lasted from June 10 to July 6. Corrections is also
denying claims that it mistreated the striking prisoners.</p>
<p>"'The hunger strike ended when inmates requested food from GDC
officials,' said Dabney Weems, a public relations official."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Families and an attorney for the prisoners, however, "insist that
the nine hunger strikers remain resolved and continue to insist on
administrative review of their status, adequate medical care, and
access to mail and visitation privileges with their families and
attorneys which have been arbitrarily denied them," reports <em>San
Francisco Bay View News, </em>based on the story by Bruce A. Dixon,
managing editor at <em>Black Agenda Report</em> where <a
href="http://www.blackagendareport.com/" rel="nofollow">this story</a>
first appeared.</p>
<p>Dixon is a member of the state committee of the Georgia Green Party
and is heard on <em>Black Agenda Radio Commentaries.</em></p>
<p><em>(Listen to Bruce Dixon's commentary on the Georgia prison strike
<a
href="http://www.blackagendareport.com/content/ga-prison-hunger-strike-enters-5th-week"
rel="nofollow">here</a>.)</em></p>
<p>Georgia's Green Party <a
href="http://www.georgiagreenparty.org/content/greens-call-deal-end-torture-georgia-prisons-call-georgians-join-one-day-solidarity-fast"
rel="nofollow">called</a> on Americans to fast for one day in
solidarity with the prisoners, saying in a written statement:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"Eighteen months after Georgia Department of Corrections employees
brutally suppressed a non-violent work stoppage led by inmates in as
many as eleven of the state's 34 prisons, it is believed that the
"Hidden-37" have been in solitary confinement ever since. The Georgia
Green Party today called on Governor Deal to end the torture; and on
Georgians to join hunger striking Georgia inmates in a one day
solidarity fast."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>"Prison officials are surprised at the level of outside support the
inmates enjoy despite a virtual news whiteout," states Bruce Dixon,
editor of <em>The Black Agenda Report</em>.</p>
<p><strong>Georgia denies inmates hygiene and medical treatment for
injuries inflicted 18 months ago</strong></p>
<p>"Miguel and other inmates at Georgia Diagnostics have been denied
access to proper hygiene [and] medical treatment for their numerous and
severe injuries, many of which were inflicted 18 months ago," wrote
Delma Jackson in a Change.org petition.</p>
<p>Jackson's family alleges that he was beaten by prison guards at
Smith State Prison in December 2010, transferred in 2011 to the Georgia
Classification & Diagnostic Prison where he has been kept in
solitary confinement for the past 18 months.</p>
<p>The Department of Corrections denied those allegations in a
statement to the <em>AJC.</em></p>
<p>"[The Georgia Bureau of Investigation] investigated the claim filed
by inmate Miguel Jackson regarding the 2010 Smith State Prison incident
and found no validity to the inmate's complaint," stated Dabney Weems,
a public relations official.</p>
<p>According to the<em> ACJ,</em> the department also said Jackson has
not been in solitary confinement.</p>
<p>In a <a href="http://endmassincarceration.org/" rel="nofollow">petition</a>
that citizens of faith and conscience are asked to sign, <em>The Black
Agenda Report</em> states about solitary confinement torture:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"As the international community has examined the research,
including over a century of scientific studies suggesting that
prolonged solitary confinement leads to irreversable mental
degredation, experts have found that use of segregation for period in
excess of fifteen days constitutes torture and cannot be supported
under existing international standards for human rights."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Many of the men now on hunger strike were involved in a hunger
strike launched in December 2010.</p>
<p>"Unfortunately the peaceful demonstration was cut short by the
brutal beating of inmate Miguel Jackson and others who were allegedly
targeted for participating in the protest," reported <i>CBS Atlanta</i>
on Monday.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"Thirty-seven of the men who participated in the original hunger
strike were singled out as leaders, and as punishment they were sent to
the Diagnostic and Classification Prison, where they were placed in
solitary confinement."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Monday, Jackson said he still suffers splitting migraines as a
result of the attack.</p>
<p>The strike gained national attention Monday, July 9 after
approximately 30 people gathered at Georgia’s state capitol to visit
the governor’s office, where they left support letters for the hunger
strikers.</p>
<p>A Solidarity Rally will be held Monday at the Georgia Department of
Corrections headquarters, 300 Patrol Rd., Forsyth, Ga.</p>
<p>"We will be demanding a meeting and we will not leave until
Commissioner Brian Owens agrees to meet with us," stated Delma Jackson.
"We need your support and prayers for these courageous men.”</p>
<p>Delma Jackson heads the Prodigal Child Project Atlanta.</p>
<p><strong>Citizen support requested</strong></p>
<p>"Your phone calls to the prison warden, the Department of
Corrections and the governor of Georgia have already made a
difference," stated <em>San Francisco Bay News</em> editor, Mary
Ratcliff. "Delma Jackson, wife of hunger striker Miguel Jackson, asks
everyone to <strong><a
href="http://sfbayview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Georgia-hunger-strike-flier-0712.jpg"
rel="nofollow">'post this flier </a></strong>on social media, blogs
etc. It is imperative that we build awareness and gain all the support
we can.' <a
href="http://sfbayview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Georgia-hunger-strike-flier-0712.jpg"
rel="nofollow">Click</a> to enlarge."</p>
<p>"Whether or not the hunger strike lasts much longer, the nine
prisoners involved have already demonstrated their unshakable resolve
and deserve your continued concern and support – and your calls, which
are still needed," states Ratcliff.</p>
<p>"When you call, ask about the men by name and ID number. Here are
the names and ID numbers of the nine prisoners now in the fifth week of
their hunger strike."</p>
<ul>
<li>Justin Boston, ID 1305227</li>
<li>Quentin D. Cooks, ID 1142336</li>
<li>Contravius Grier, ID 591396</li>
<li>Miguel Jackson, ID 890692</li>
<li>Bobby Anthony Minor, ID 1191993</li>
<li>Dexter Shaw, ID 429768</li>
<li>Robert Watkins, ID 1245402</li>
<li>Demetrius White, ID 581709</li>
</ul>
<p>Call, fax and email:</p>
<ul>
<li>Warden, Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison, phone (770)
504-2000, fax (770) 504-2006.</li>
<li>Commissioner Brian Owens, Georgia Department of Corrections; ask
for his administrative assistant, Peggy Chapman, phone (478) 992-5258.</li>
<li>Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, phone (404) 656-1776, fax (404)
657-7332; you can also send the governor a letter online by clicking
here.</li>
<li>Georgia Department of Corrections Ombudsman, phone (478) 992-5367
or (478) 992-5358, email <a href="mailto:Ombudsman@dcor.state.ga.us">Ombudsman@dcor.state.ga.us</a>.
Please add a cc to the email, <a
href="mailto:info@georgiagreenparty.org">info@georgiagreenparty.org</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>“We’re also having an international call-in day to support Georgia
hunger strikers this Monday, July 16,” said Delma Jackson.</p>
<p>“Please encourage everyone to call Commissioner Brian Owens while we
are outside the Department of Corrections demonstrating, from 10 a.m.
to 1 p.m. ET (7-10 a.m. PT).”</p>
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